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PubMed2000

[Monitoring on blood lead and cadmium in Nanjing inhabitants from 1983 to 1998].

Blood lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) of residents in Nanjing were monitored from 1983 to 1998. The results showed that the blood Pb concentration was male > female, smokers > nonsmokers. Blood Pb in female nonsmokers increased gradually during recent ten years. Blood lead level was also significantly different between urban residents and suburban residents in 1998. Blood Cd concentration in female nonsmoker < male nonsmokers < male smokers < female smokers, male smokers > male nonsmokers. The blood Cd of female nonsmokers kept steady in the last ten years. The concentration of blood Cd of urban residents was accordant with suburban residents in 1998.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Hepatitis C virus seroprevalence in the developmentally disabled.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the principal cause of nonenteric non-A, non-B hepatitis worldwide. While it has been well documented that people with developmental disabilities are at an increased risk for infections with hepatitis B virus, little is known of the prevalence of HCV infection among this population. METHODS: Serum samples obtained from 113 evaluable outpatients with developmental disabilities at one center in suburban New York City (NY) were tested for antibodies to HCV and hepatitis B core antibody. RESULTS: None of the 113 samples tested positive for HCV antibody by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, whereas 24 (21%) showed serologic evidence of past hepatitis B virus infection on the basis of hepatitis B core antibody positivity. Three (2.7%) were also positive for hepatitis B surface antigen. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to hepatitis B virus, HCV infection is uncommon among outpatients with developmental disabilities in suburban New York City. Further testing for HCV is indicated to determine if these results can be generalized to individuals within institutions, or to individuals in other geographic locations.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Susceptibility of black fly larvae (Diptera: Simuliidae) to lawn-care insecticides individually and as mixtures.

Urban and suburban watersheds have the potential to be highly impacted by chemicals, especially insecticides to control insect pests on lawns, ornamental plants, and home gardens. Three of the most common lawn-care insecticides detected in urban watersheds, carbaryl, chlorpyrifos, and malathion, have been evaluated using an acute orbital shaker toxicity test to determine their respective concentrations that produce 50% mortality (LC50) in Simulium vittatum Zetterstedt cytospecies IS-7 larvae. Results of the 48-h LC50 tests show chlorpyrifos to be the most toxic to black fly larvae (LC50 = 0.28 microg/L) followed by carbaryl (LC50 = 23.72 microg/L) and malathion (LC50 = 54.20 microg/L). These insecticides were also tested as binary and ternary mixtures using the toxic unit (TU) approach. Toxicity was shown to be greater than additive for the ternary mixture of chlorpyrifos-carbaryl-malathion (LC50 = 0.56 TU) and the binary mixtures of chlorpyrifos-malathion (LC50 = 0.72 TU) and carbaryl-malathion (LC50 = 0.78 TU). The binary combination of chlorpyrifos and carbaryl was shown to be additive (LC50 = 0.98 TU). These results indicate that aquatic invertebrate populations in urban and suburban streams may experience a higher-than-expected increase in toxicity-related effects when all three chemicals are present in the waterway.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A multi-year study of air pollution and respiratory hospital admissions in three New York State metropolitan areas: results for 1988 and 1989 summers.

As part of a multi-year study of air pollution and respiratory hospital admissions in the Buffalo, Albany, and New York City, New York, metropolitan areas, filter samples were collected daily at suburban air monitoring sites and analyzed for their content of particulate phase aerosol strong acidity (i.e., hydrogen ion, H+) and sulfate (SO4 = ). In addition, daily hospital admissions for respiratory causes, other community air pollutant measurements (e.g., ozone, O3), and meteorological data (e.g., temperature) were also obtained for these metropolitan areas. The summer months (June-August) were selected for analysis because that is when the highest H+ (and O3) are usually experienced at these sites, and because these months are rarely complicated by other major influences (e.g., high pollen counts). Thus, any pollution-admissions relationships were expected to be most clearly discernible in this season. Prior to the health effects analysis, the summer admissions and environmental data were first detrended to eliminate long-wave autocorrelations, and day-of-week effects were removed via regression. Cross-correlations of the filtered 1988 and 1989 admissions and environmental data revealed strong associations between elevated summer haze pollution (i.e., H+, SO4 =, and O3) and increased total respiratory and asthma admissions on the same day and/or on subsequent days in Buffalo and New York City, especially during the summer of 1988 (when pollution levels were more extreme). Regression analyses indicated that the pollution-admissions associations remained significant (p < 0.05) even after the simultaneous inclusion of lagged daily maximum temperature. Mean effects calculations for these cities indicated that summertime haze can play a significant role in the occurrence of respiratory admissions in that season: accounting for an average 6 to 24% of 1988 Buffalo and NYC asthma admissions (depending on the pollutant index employed). O3 consistently had the highest mean effects estimates. Relative risk (RR) calculations indicated that the risk of admission for asthma was increased by a factor of 1.19 to 1.43 in these cities on maximum 1988 summertime pollution days, with H+ consistently having the highest RR estimates. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that ambient acid aerosol peaks (e.g., H+ > or = 100 nmol/m3) can potentiate the respiratory disease effects of O3. Associations were weaker in the less urbanized Albany metropolitan area and in the New York City (NYC) suburbs, even though the NYC suburban O3 exposures were similar to (and the H+ concentrations may even be somewhat higher than) those in the center city.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Air Pollution↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Exposure to emissions from gasoline within automobile cabins.

Gasoline is emitted from automobiles as uncombusted fuel and via evaporation. Volatile organic compounds (VOC) from gasoline are at higher levels in roadway air than in the surrounding ambient atmosphere and penetrate into automobile cabins, thereby exposing commuters to higher levels than they would experience in other microenvironments. Measurements of VOC concentrations and carbon monoxide were made within automobiles during idling, while driving on a suburban route in New Jersey, and on a commute to New York City. Concentrations of VOC from gasoline were determined to be elevated above the ambient background levels in all microenvironments while VOC without a gasoline source were not. The variability of VOC concentrations with location within the automobile was determined to be smaller than inter-day variability during idling studies. VOC and carbon monoxide levels within the automobile cabin differed among the different routes examined. The levels were related to traffic density and were inversely related to driving speed and wind speed. Overall, daily VOC exposure for gasoline-derived compounds during winter commuting in New Jersey was estimated to range between 5 and 20% and constituted between 15 and 40% of an individual's daily exposure based on comparison to urban and suburban settings, respectively. VOC exposure during commuting in Southern California was estimated to range between 15 and 60%.

Air↗
PubMed1992

The quality of a laboratory test in general practice: the throat swab example.

AIM: To measure the repeatability, the flow of information, and the data entry error of the throat swab test from a suburban general practice. METHOD: A prospective study of consecutive patients seen in routine consultation for a sore throat as their primary complaint. Repeated throat swabs were taken for each patient. Carbon copies of routine laboratory forms were collected. RESULTS: The kappa statistic for reproducibility of the throat swab test was 0.63 (95% CI 0.50-0.77). In 5.8% of patients, one swab was positive and the other negative. Information took one day or less to travel to and from the laboratory for 25.7% of patients with a beta-haemolytic streptococcal growth compared to the 9.9% of patients with no growth (chi 2 = 6.17, p < 0.02). The laboratory received 53% of the swabs on the day they were taken. Delays in getting the swabs to the laboratory occurred when swabs were taken in the afternoon session or on weekends. Monday morning gave the quickest return. Data entry errors were found on 15.9% of patient forms. CONCLUSION: The quality of the throat swab test needs improvement in the suburban general practice context.

Clinical Laboratory Techniques↗
PubMed2003

[Study on dynamic changes of body mass index for adults in Henan Province].

To analysis the dynamic changes of body mass index (BMI) of adults, and provide basis for health research and policy-making, using the random cluster sampling, a total of 480 households (urban 80, suburban 80, county neighboring communities 80, rural 240) in 24 different sites were selected. The adults of selected households were subjects. Data on height, body weight and household income etc were collected in autumn of every surveying year. The results showed that the rates of BMI < 18.5 cut-off point declined with years, they were 7.3% and 3.5% in 1989 and 2000 respectively. The rates of overweight and obesity showed a steadily increasing tendency, rose up sharply from 10.7% in 1989 to 25.2% in 2000, about 1.5% higher each year. The percentage of overweight and obesity altogether in 2000 ranked as urban 33.3%, county 31.7%, suburban 24.6%, and rural 21.4%. It suggested that the percentage of overweight and obesity increased quickly, have accounted for big part in population, and should be listed as one of major public health issues.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Project teams produce successful turnaround for Illinois hospital.

When Jay Kreuzer was hired as president and CEO of West Suburban Health Care, it didn't take him long to realize the organization was headed in the wrong direction. The not-for-profit system, which includes a 258-bed medical center, was projected to end fiscal year 2001 with a loss of $19 million. Kreuzer put together a team that implemented an organization-wide performance improvement effort. In just two years the turnaround has been completed, as West Suburban ended fiscal year 2003 with a small surplus.

Cooperative Behavior↗
PubMed1992

A multi-institutional analysis of perinatal cocaine use.

The frequency of cocaine abuse in pregnant women has increased markedly in the United States during the last decade. This increased abuse has lead to recognition of potentially negative perinatal outcomes. The purpose of this study is to determine the incidence of positive cocaine-specific screens in pregnant women and delivered infants at two Milwaukee area sites: an urban teaching hospital with a delivery base of 5,500 births annually and a suburban hospital with a delivery base of 1,700 births. A prospective, blinded analysis of urine specimens was performed at both sites over a 3-month period. All delivered infants, all women who presented to the labor and delivery unit and were discharged undelivered, and women who presented to the urban hospital's obstetrical clinic had urine samples obtained for toxicology analysis. Demographic data was also collected to include age, race, gestational age, and history of drug abuse. Results of the urine screen and demographic data were analyzed for frequency distribution. The overall incidence of positive cocaine screens was 3.5% in the urban population and less than 1% in the suburban population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Susceptibility of Plasmodium falciparum to the drugs used to treat severe malaria (quinine) and to prevent malaria (mefloquine, cycloguanil) in Comoros Union and Madagascar.

OBJECTIVES: To monitor the sensitivity of Plasmodium falciparum to the drugs used to treat severe malaria and to prevent malaria in Comoros and Madagascar. DESIGN: We used the in vitro isotopic method to test the sensitivity of P. falciparum to quinine, mefloquine and cycloguanil. RESULTS: We tested fresh isolates of P. falciparum, collected from patients living in urban, suburban and rural areas and suffering from uncomplicated malaria in 2001, against at least one of the antimalarials cited above. In both countries all of the successfully tested isolates were sensitive to quinine (N = 243) and to cycloguanil (N = 67). The mean IC50 ranged from 85.7 to 133.7 nM for quinine. For cycloguanil, the mean IC50 ranged from 1.4 to 20.2 nM and the highest IC50 value (102.5 nM) was recorded in Comoros. Only 0.9% (1/110) of the informative isolates from Madagascar were mefloquine-resistant (0/18 in Comoros). The mefloquine mean IC50s were 8.2 nM, 14.1 nM and 11.6 nM respectively in the rural, suburban and urban areas of Madagascar, and 5.9 nM in Comoros. A positive correlation was found between quinine and mefloquine IC50s (N = 127, r = 0.48, p < 10(-6)), but in vitro mefloquine was 6-16 times more potent than quinine. No correlation was noticed between the activities of quinine and cycloguanil or between the activities of mefloquine and cycloguanil. CONCLUSION: We therefore advocate the use of a full-course regimen of quinine, as recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO), to treat above all severe malaria in Madagascar and Comoros. Our results also demonstrate that the use of mefloquine- and cycloguanil-based antimalarials is still justified to prevent malaria in both countries, mainly in the case of travellers.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

[A population-based epidemiologic study of irritable bowel syndrome in Guangdong province].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and its risk factors in Guangdong province. METHODS: A questionnaire was used to screen IBS by face-to-face interviews according to Manning (modified including symptoms of constipation) and Rome II criteria. Random clustered sampling involving permanent inhabitants aged 18 - 80 years was carried out under stratification of urban and suburban areas. Potential risk factors were explored by comparing the frequencies among IBS group and non-IBS group using chi(2) and logistic analysis of multivariate adjusted for age and gender. RESULTS: A total of 4178 residents (male 1907, female 2271) were investigated. Mean age among the responders was (43 +/- 14) years. The response rate was 98%. The adjusted prevalence of IBS in Guangdong province is 5.67% according to the modified Rome II criteria, and is 11.50% according to Manning criteria. There is no difference between urban and suburban areas. The female was predominant in IBS, and the ratio of male to female was 1:1.25 (Rome II) and 1:1.34 (Manning). The age was poorly correlated with the prevalence. Events including history of analgesic use such as NSAID (OR = 3.83), history of food allergies (OR = 2.68), psychological distress (OR = 2.18), life events (OR = 1.89), history of dysentery (OR = 1.63) and negative coping style (OR = 1.28) are highly associated with IBS (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: IBS is a common disorder in Guangdong Province which deserves greater care and further investigation.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Psychosocial effects of community noise: cross sectional study of school children in urban center of Skopje, Macedonia.

AIM: To assess noise exposure in school children in urban center in different residential areas and to examine psychosocial effects of chronic noise exposure in school children, taking into account their socioeconomic status. METHODS: We measured community noise on specific measurement points in residential-administrative-market area and suburban residential area. We determined the average energy-equivalent sound level for 8 hours (LAeq, 8 h) or 16 hours (LAeq, 16 h) and compared measured noise levels with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Psychological effects were examined in two groups of children: children exposed to noise level LAeq, 8 h >55 dBA (n=266) and children exposed to noise level LAeq, 8 h <55 dBA (n=263). The examinees were schoolchildren of 10-11 years of age. We used a self-reported questionnaire for each child - Anxiety test (General Anxiety Scale) and Attention Deficit Disorder Questionnaire intended for teachers to rate children's behavior. We used Mann Whitney U test and multiple regression for identifying the significance of differences between the two study groups. RESULTS: School children who lived and studied in the residential-administrative-market area were exposed to noise levels above WHO guidelines (55 dBA), and school children who lived and studied in the suburban residential area were exposed to noise levels below WHO guidelines. Children exposed to LAeq, 8 h >55 dBA had significantly decreased attention (Z=-2.16; p=0.031), decreased social adaptability (Z =-2.16; p=0.029), and increased opposing behavior in their relations to other people (Z=-3; p=0.001). We did not find any correlation between socioeconomic characteristics and development of psychosocial effects. CONCLUSION: School children exposed to elevated noise level had significantly decreased attention, and social adaptability, and increased opposing behavior in comparison with school children who were not exposed to elevated noise levels. Chronic noise exposure is associated with psychosocial effects in school children and should be taken as an important factor in assessing the psychological welfare of the children.

Child↗
PubMed2004

Role of telemedicine in neurosciences.

That distribution of specialists in neurological sciences worldwide is lopsided is an accepted fact. That, increasing the number of specialists, providing them with the requisite infrastructure and maintaining high standards to provide neurological and neurosurgical surgical care worldwide is just not possible, is also accepted. Patients from suburban areas are sent to the limited number of tertiary neurosciences referral centers, incurring expense and time and resulting in overwork at these centers. It is easier to set up an excellent telecommunication infrastructure, to increase the reach of the limited number of urban specialists, than to put them in suburban areas.

Health Services Accessibility↗
PubMed2004

Telemedicine in the Indian context: an overview.

One sixth of humanity accounting for 1100 million people live in India. India is generally considered to be a developing country and certainly there is considerable scope for improving the per capita income and the average standard of life. India however is a paradox. We now produce and launch our own satellites. Information is being gathered regarding the feasibility of launching a HEALTHSAT - a satellite exclusively for purposes of health care. There has been an unprecedented growth and development in Information Technology. Satellite transmission, fiber optic cables, increasing band width, fall in computer prices, licensing of private internet service providers, internet thro' cable etc have become the buzz words even in suburban and rural India. Theoretically, it is easier to set up an excellent telecommunication infrastructure in suburban and rural India, to increase the reach of the limited number of urban specialists, than to place hundreds of specialists in places devoid of specialists. Telemedicine therefore is the answer. It is universally acknowledged that Indians have made enormous contributions in the field of information technology. We no longer have to follow or piggy back. We now leap frog!!

Computer Communication Networks↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Evaluation of the higher brain functions in 1st and 7th grade schoolchildren belonging to two different socioeconomic groups].

INTRODUCTION: The higher brain functions, together with the devices that sustain them, are essential assets belonging to human beings which are used to situate themselves in the world. They can be studied by conducting neuropsychological tests, the results of which vary according to demographic factors, such as age, sex, hand dominance, culture and level of schooling. The socioeconomic level (SEL) is another factor to be taken into account and must also be evaluated. AIMS: Our objective was to evaluate and analyse the influence of SEL on the results obtained from neuropsychological tests carried out in normal school-age children. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We studied 401 normal children, of both sexes, taken at random, at the beginning (1st grade, 6 years old) and at the end (7th grade, 12 years old) of elementary school and belonging to two different SEL: high and low. Schools belonging to different categories were selected: public, private, urban and suburban. A battery of tests that is commonly used in Neuropsychology was utilised to evaluate laterality, spatial orientation, integration (Bender's test and the Rey figure test), attention, memory and the areas of language, gnosis and praxis. RESULTS: Significant differences were found in relation to the SEL in the 1st and 7th grade tests: 20/27 (74%) and 17/27 (62%), respectively. These always meant lower results in the low SEL, except body scheme, ideomotor praxis and phonological coding, which in the 7th grade run in the opposite direction. Results were not related to the type of school (urban-suburban, public-private), sex, laterality or teachers' characteristics. Differences were more striking in the area of language, basic devices (attention, memory) and in the tests that integrate several different functions (Bender's test, Rey figure test). CONCLUSIONS: SEL is linked to the results obtained in neuropsychological evaluation tests. There is a direct relationship with low results in the low level. There is also a correlation between certain family characteristics associated to the SEL and the scores in the cognitive evaluation tests.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Arsenic, cadmium and lead levels in hair and toenail samples in pakistan.

We collected toenail and hair samples from 160 subjects, 83 males and 77 females, residing in Lahore city and its suburban areas in Pakistan, and examined the concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, lead and other metals using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The mean hair and toenail arsenic levels were 0.31 ppm and 0.70 ppm, respectively. The correlation coefficient between log-transformed values of hair and toenail arsenic levels was 0.16 (p=0.051). After excluding a subject with hair and toenail arsenic levels as high as 1.12 ppm and 4.72 ppm, respectively, the correlation coefficient was 0.27 (p=0.001). Arsenic levels observed in the present study were relatively higher than in most developed countries. Hair or toenail arsenic concentration was not affected by sex, area of origin, place of residence and education, but toenail arsenic levels increased with age (p=0.029). Fish consumption was inversely related to arsenic levels, suggesting that consumption of beans , which are the main staple of poor people living in the study area who cannot afford to eat fish frequently, may be the source of arsenic exposure among the residents of Lahore and its suburban areas. The mean hair and toenail cadmium levels in the present study were 0.08 ppm and 0.05 ppm, respectively. The correlation coefficient between log-transformed values of hair and toenail cadmium levels was 0.17 (p=0.034). Cadmium levels were lower compared to those reported from developed countries, including Japan. The mean hair and toenail lead levels were 3.53 ppm and 2.11 ppm, respectively. The correlation coefficient between log-transformed values of hair and toenail lead levels was 0.15, which was not statistically significant (p=0.055). When a female subject with toenail lead of 52.4 ppm was excluded, the correlation was 0.17 (p=0.036). Lead levels observed in the present study were similar to those reported from developed countries. In the present study, relatively high lead toenail values were observed among children. The levels of cadmium and lead in hair but not in toenails were higher among those living in central Lahore than among those living outside Lahore, suggesting that dust containing those heavy metals was attached to hair samples due to a typical urban environment with heavy traffic load, congested population and industrial activities.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

[Concentrations of metallic elements, N and S in Sabina chinensis cv. pyramidalis leaves along urban-rural roadways of Nanjing city].

This paper measured the concentrations of metallic elements, N and S in soils and Sabina chinensis cv. pyramidalis leaves along the urban-rural roadways (urban trunk roads, belt highway, and suburban roads) of Nanjing city, with botanical garden as un-traffic impacted reference site, and discussed the transfer of test elements among atmosphere, plant and soil, as well as the impact of traffic-related pollution. The results showed that the concentrations of Al, Fe, Mo, Zn, Cd, Pb, As and Cr in Sabina chinensis leaves were significantly higher along urban-rural roadways than at reference site, being most remarkable for Al, Fe, Mo and Zn. The positive correlations between soil and Sabina chinensis leaf Fe, Zn and As concentrations in road environment indicated that Sabina chinensis might be a good indicator plant of soil Fe, Zn and As. The correlations between soil and plant leaf Al, Mo, Cu, Pb, Cd and Cr concentrations were not remarkable, and thus, their high concentrations in Sabina chinensis leaf in road environment might be caused by air pollution. The concentrations of N and S in Sabina chinensis leaf were higher along urban trunk roads and belt highway than at reference site, while those along suburban roads were similar to the reference. There was a negative correlation between soil and plant leaf N, and a positive correlation between soil and plant leaf S. The N content in roadside soil was lower, while the S content was higher than the reference, indicating that the higher Sabina chinensis leaf N content in road environment might be caused by the NO(x) from exhaust gas emission, and the higher leaf S content should be come from soil.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed1992

Does practice location or academic connection affect recruitment of patients as research subjects?

Recruitment rates of study subjects are important planning and validity issues for many research projects. The Community Cholesterol Survey Project (CCSP) offered an opportunity to examine recruitment rates by type of study practice. The CCSP used six primary care practices (2 urban, 2 suburban, 2 rural), including a suburban academic residency program. Recruitment into the study was performed by a single dietician who followed the same procedure at each site. The overall recruitment rate of subjects was 79%. The residency site had the lowest recruitment rate (59%), which was significantly lower than any of the other sites (79% to 90%, average 84%, p less than 0.001). No demographic factors provided an explanation for this finding. The demographic factors examined included patient age, gender, race, social status, marital status, years in the practice, and presence of underlying medical conditions. These results add to the evidence that recruitment rates in nonacademic practices may be substantially better than those in residency practices and other academic sites.

Academies and Institutes↗